10 Best Osaka Photography Spots

One of the most famous things about Osaka is flashy neon lights and large shop displays. In streets of Osaka, shops and restaurants try to compete each other with bigger and more eccentric shop signs, and these unique and flashy shop signs are popular photo spots among tourists today.

Where is the best area to enjoy shop signs in Osaka? I’d highly recommend the neighbourhood called “Dotonbori” — the busiest tourist center with hundreds of shops, restaurants and bars. Today, I am sharing 10 most iconic unique shop signs you can find in Dotonbori, Osaka!

1. Glico Running Man

The billboard of the running man by the confectionery company, GLICO. This has been a symbol of Osaka for many decades. The best photo spot is at Ebisu Bashi Bridge where many tourists stop by and pose as the running man to take pictures!

3. Puffer Fish Lantern

4. Don Quijote (Donki)

Our favourite shop, Don Quijote (DONKI)’s Dotonbori store has a very unique feature that the building come with a ferris wheel. The ferris wheel is actually now not working, but it’s still a good landmark in town.

8. Maguro Sushi

The gigantic hand holding a piece of Maguro (Tuna) Sushi is the shop sign of Genroku Sushi, a popular franchised belt conveyor Sushi restaurant based in Osaka. The shop is considered as the first place in the world who started the belt conveyor style Sushi restaurant.

9. Karl Ojisan

The billboard of Karl Ojisan who is a beloved character of the popular snack, Meiji Karl, was built to celebrate the brand’s 40 years anniversary. Every one hour, Karl Ojisan moves and his hat rises up and small frog appears.